No Boys Allowed
by 2vowels5letters
Summary: Lorelai Gilmore is twenty four and mother to seven year old Rory as she decides to leave married life and start fresh with her daughter and a newborn baby.
1. Chapter 1

**Diclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls or anything else.**

 _October 1991_

Rory was eight years old and was a bright girl. Her dad was _always_ travelling for work so she spent a lot of time with her mother. They'd watch movies together and her mother would joke about them escaping together and starting a new life. Rory was lying in bed when she heard her dad come home from a work trip and then she heard fighting. They always fought when he came home, often about different things.

 _"You were supposed to be home four hours ago," Lorelai yelled. "We were meant to take our daughter to dinner for her birthday. Instead, we were sitting here waiting for you to dain to come home."_

 _"I am sorry," Christopher responded. "The flight was delayed."_

 _"The flight wasn't delayed, you smell like you've been drinking." Lorelai responded._

 _"I had a drink on the plane." Christopher yelled now._

 _"Keep your voice down, she is sleeping," Lorelai said quietly. "I can't. I can't do this anymore."_

 _"Do what anymore?" He said now._

 _"You, me. Us," Lorelai said now, her voice almost shaking. "In the seven years we've been married I can count on one hand the times you've actually been here for me and for Rory. You've missed our anniversaries, my birthdays. You've missed six of Rory's seven birthdays, you weren't even there when she was born."_

 _"That was before we were even married." Chris said now._

 _"That is not helping you." Lorelai responded._

 _"So what? Your giving up on us. On our family." He responded now._

 _"No, Rory, the baby and I are a family. At this point your just a visitor that I am techincally married to." Lorelai barked._

 _"Baby?" Christopher said now._

 _"Oh yeah, I was going to tell you that I was pregnant again," Lorelai said now. "But I guess you missed that too."_

Rory heard the door slam and she closed her eyes, she knew this was a huge fight. When she opened her eyes again it was still dark and she could feel someone shaking her awake.

"Babe," Lorelai said quietly. "Get dressed."

"Where are we going?" Rory whispered. "Is dad here?"

"No dad, just you and me." Lorelai said now.

Rory wasn't about to ask another question, so she got dressed and got into the car that Lorelai had likely been packing all night. They drove away from the small house and Hartford and into the direction of the morning sun which had just risen.

"Mum," Rory said quietly. "Are we having a baby?"

"You heard," Lorelai said quietly. "How much did you hear?"

"Just that your having a baby," Rory said now. "And dad slamming the door. What's going to happen to the baby?"

"Well, if all goes right it will take over my body and I will give birth and then you'll have a sibling to play with or torture. I don't know what siblings do." Lorelai started babbling.

"Can I name the baby?" Rory asked excitedly before she started listing all the names that she liked.

Not too long after, they ended up in a small town that Rory recognised from when she and Lorelai would occasionally go on weekend drives.

"It always looks so pretty." Rory said quietly.

"I know," Lorelai smiled. "How would you like to live here?"

"Really?" Rory's eyes widened. "Like you always joked that we would."

"Yep, you and me. You'll go to school, I'll hopefully find a job." Lorelai said now.

 _June 1992_

It was a particularly warm day and Lorelai was exactly a week past her due date. She had been working as a maid up until her due date when her boss forced her to stop working until she had the baby. In an effort to start labor, she was walking Rory to school.

"Can mummy sit for just a moment?" Lorelai asked, sitting on a bench. "Never, ever get pregnant kid. This is torture."

"But I'll have a sister soon and it will be worh it," Rory sat next to her. "When do you think she'll come?"

"I have no idea, but if she doesn't come by the weekend I will be taking her out myself." Lorelai groaned.

By the time Lorelai got back to the potting shed she was exhausted so she decided to take a nap. When she woke up she was in excruciating pain. It was at exactly 11pm that night when Lorelai's screams were met with that of a newborn baby girl. Rory had stayed at her best friend Lane's house and came to the hospital the next morning.

"She's so little," Rory smiled. "Was I this little?"

"You were even littler believe it or not," Lorelai smiled. "Now, she needs a name."

"Lorelai." Rory joked.

"I think our house already has too many Lorelai's." Lorelai laughed.

"I am reading this book called Franny and Zooey-" Rory started.

"I read that in high school - How about Zoe?" Lorelai asked.

"Zooey is the brother," Rory said confidently. "She's a girl."

"Well it would be Zoe like Z-o-e, not Z-o-o-e-y." Lorelai explained.

"Rory and Zoe?" Rory smiled. "I like it."

"I like it too, a lot," Lorelai smiled looking down at the baby. "How about you Zoe? I think it's a winner."

 **A/N: This was just an idea, so let me know what you think and if I should continue.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls or anything else.**

It was a week before Christmas so Lorelai and Rory were decorating the front of the potting shed while six month old Zoe was having her afternoon nap. Lorelai was feeling nervous because they would be driving out to Hartford to her parents Christmas party. Her parents hadn't seen Rory since last Christmas and have never even met Zoe yet.

"What did we get grandma and grandpa for Christmas?" Rory asked.

"Well, I was thinking the gift could be us not going and there being no arguments." Lorelai said now.

"Mum, we have to go," Rory's eyes widened. "You promised grandma. And you love the apple tarts. And they've never even met Zoe and she is really cute, they'll love her."

"I know they will," Lorelai said quietly. "I just know that grandma is already composing a list of things to crisitise me about tonight. Especially now that the divorce is final."

"I'll be the middle man," Rory said confidently. "Grandma and Grandpa love me."

"I know they do," Lorelai grabbed Rory's hand. "How did I get so lucky to have you?"

"I don't know," Rory shrugged. "Pass me the christmas lights."

Lorelai, Rory and a fussy Zoe arrived at the Gilmore house and were greeted by the maid. Rory was holding the present and Lorelai had Zoe.

"Lorelai?" Emily smiled politely. "Rory, hello. And that must me the baby."

"Zoe," Rory smiled. "She is six months old."

"Well, I have to go up to my room and settle her unless you want a screaming baby all night," Lorelai broke the silence taking the baby upstairs.

Lorelai changed Zoe and was nursing her when Emily came into the room and she quickly tried to cover herself.

"Mum," Lorelai whispered. "You scared me."

"Sorry," Emily said quietly. "Dinner will be ready soon and I want you to say hello to the guests."

"Okay," Lorelai said quietly as she lay Zoe down. "I think she should be okay."

"She looks like you," Emily commented. "But I have no idea where she got the red hair."

"It's a recessive gene," Lorelai responded. "It might almost change colours, she is just a baby."

"Oh one last thing," Emily said as Lorelai pulled the door about three quarters shut to let Zoe sleep. "If you could just tell everyone downstairs that Christopher is away on business."

"We're divorced." Lorelai looked at her.

"I know," Emily rolled her eyes. "They don't need to know that though."

"Why?" Lorelai stopped in her tracks. "What is so bad about being divorced?"

"Lorelai, I don't want to get into it." Emily said quickly.

"Excellent." Lorelai muttered under her breath.

Everyone was sitting around the dinner table when the topic of Christopher came up and Emily quickly diverted it. Lorelai who was nursing and was on her second drink of the night (and of the last year and a half) decided to tell the table that he was in fact living in California and they hadn't been together in over a year now.

"I am sorry," Lorelai followed Emily into the kitchen. "Mum, I am sorry. I shouldn't have had that second glass of wine."

"Everyone doesn't need to know that you ruined your life Lorelai," Emily snapped. "You took those girls away from their father. A child needs a mother and a father."

"Are you kidding me?" Lorelai responded. "I was miserable in that marriage. I am twenty four, I couldn't spend the next fifty years unhappy. I am happier than I have ever been now and believe it or not, mine and Christopher's relationship is much better now that we are just friends."

"You took those girls and moved as far away from us as you could. You are incredibly selfish Lorelai." Emily said now.

"Forget it," Lorelai was now teary. "You don't listen to me."

Lorelai walked out of the room and Rory could see that she was upset and followed her upstairs. A few minutes later they had left and were driving back to Stars Hollow in silence.

"That went-" Rory began.

"Horribly," Lorelai said quietly. "She doesn't listen. I try to talk to her and tell her how I feel but all she hears is the litany of crisitisms piling up. About how I'm a bad mother and was a terrible wife and that you and Zoe are going to be so messed up because of me."

"We didn't really eat dinner, how about we stop on the way home and get some burgers?" Rory smiled.

"You read my mind." Lorelai said as they turned the corner.

 **A/N: Thank you for the lovely reviews. Again, let me know what you think etc.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing aside from my laptop.**

 _One month before Christmas…._

Lorelai and Christopher were sitting in the lawyers office as he went over their divorce settlement. This was the first time they had seen each other in over a year. They had agreed to sell the house and split whatever they get in the middle. Lorelai would have sole custody of Rory and Zoe and Christopher was free to visit whenever he wanted, but Lorelai knew he probably wouldn't do much of that.

"I guess this is it," The lawyer said as the formely married couple looked at each other. "I pronounce you no longer husband and wife."

It was a cold winters day and Lorelai was walking to her car when Christopher called out her name and she stopped in her tracks.

"Ex wife, that is going to be weird to say." Christopher broke the silence.

"Or you can just call me Lorelai," Lorelai tried to make a joke. "We did the right thing Chris. And this doesn't mean you stop being a part of our lives. You are their dad, that doesn't just go away."

"I know," He said now. "We had a good run."

"We did have a good run," Lorelai smiled. "There were some great moments."

"I guess I this is me," Christopher stopped at his car. "Say hi to the girls for me."

"I will," Lorelai said now. "Don't be a stranger."

 _Current day…_

It had been a few weeks since the the Christmas argument at the Gilmore house. Lorelai was now working the front desk at the inn and it was a busy day. She was on her lunch break and was sitting with the new chef Sookie.

"So the house sold?" Sookie asked. "That's exciting, you can finally get a home for you and the girls."

"I know," Lorelai smiled. "Zoe is almost crawling and have no space out there and Rory is so excited to have her own room again."

"When you get a place you better have a house warming party. And I want to cater it." Sookie said excitedly.

"I don't know if I will." Lorelai said now.

"There are all these new recipes that I want to try." Sookie was now coming up with a menu for a housewarming party that was non-existant, so Lorelai knew she would just be ignored.

"What are you two talking about?" Their boss Mia came into the room.

"Lorelai is going to be moving out." Sookie said before Lorelai could say anything.

"It's about time, right?" Lorelai looked at her boss. "I can't thank you enough for taking me and the girls in. I don't know what I would have done without you. I know this past year hasn't been easy with a newborn baby screaming and Rory-"

"It was my pleasure Lorelai," Mia said now. "I'm just lucky your one my best workers."

Lorelai was a person who made a lot of her decisions on her emotions, which often backfired. They had been house hunting for a while and stumbled upon an older Victorian home.

"My room is right next to the kitchen," Rory beamed. "I love this house mum. Can we get it, please."

"It is a pretty house." Lorelai said, looking out the kitchen window.

Lorelai could see them living there. It had a beautiful porch that wrapped around the house, Rory could have her own bedroom and Zoe would be in the room upstairs next to Lorelai's bedroom and the girls could actually play outside. Somehow, it was in her price range. Like it was meant to be. Lorelai put a down payment on it two days later.

"Okay," Lorelai put a suitcase down in the living room a few weeks later. We are home, girls."

There was stuff everywhere because the removalists had dropped off Lorelai's furniture from their old house that she got in the divorce. This included her bed, Rory's bed, a fridge, a TV and the rest of Rory's toys that she hadn't even seen in a year.

"I am going to find a place for all of my books." Rory ran off towards the kitchen and Zoe was sitting on the floor with one of Rory's old toys.

That was when the neighbour knocked on the door and Lorelai scooped Zoe up into her arms before opening it.

"You're the single mother, right?" The older woman asked. "I'm Babette. I live next door. Is this your baby?"

"Yes, this is Zoe and I am Lorelai," Lorelai smiled. "My older girl Rory is somewhere around here."

Babette left soon after and Rory and Lorelai slowly started packing everything away. Sookie came over that night with a bottle of wine while the girls were sleeping and Lorelai was watching the neighbourhood from her new porch not believing that this was her life now.

 **A/N: Thank you for all your lovely reviews and I am glad that you are enjoying the story thus far.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing.**

Lorelai, Rory and Zoe had been living in their new house for over a year and were starting to become more involved with the town. Lorelai had a late start at work so she walked Rory to school with Zoe in her stroller. They were walking past the grocery store on the way back to the house and Lorelai decided she wanted a coffee and pushed Zoe's stroller into the relatively crowded diner.

"I guess we'll sit here." Lorelai said to the small girl, who was content with the small box of raisins that Lorelai gave her.

"Is this yours?" A man came up to their table and Lorelai looked up to the man.

"Yes, she is," Lorelai furrowed her brows. "Do you have a problem with it?"

"What would you do if I did?" He asked now.

"You are talking about my daughter? She hasn't made a peep." Lorelai responded.

Zoe was looking at Luke from her stroller. She had inherited Lorelai's curls and her smile but somehow had almost strawberry blonde hair that was clearly a recessive gene. Lorelai and Rory had bright blue eyes but Zoe's were a blue-green that would change from looking more blue or green depending on the weather.

"She will," He commented. "Just give it time."

"She is a baby not a bomb," Lorelai retorted. "If she starts crying, we will leave."

"Coffee?" He asked.

"Yes please." Lorelai mumbled.

Lorelai couldn't believe this man. All the people she had met in the town were lovely but her one interaction with him made her mad. She just couldn't believe it and spent most of her lunch break complaining about him to Sookie.

"That's just Luke," Sookie shrugged. "He isn't much of conversationalist."

"You don't say." Lorelai commented.

"I just don't know how he could love this little thing right away." Sookie cooed to Zoe who she was feeding lunch to.

The next day Lorelai and the girls were walking in the town square trying to work out what to have for dinner.

"How about Luke's?" Rory asked.

"I am not going back in there." Lorelai scoffed.

"The muffins you got yesterday were nice, maybe the rest of his food is good too." Rory said now.

"Fine," Lorelai sighed. "But I am purposely going to make Zoe cry in there."

"Mum, don't." Rory looked at her as Lorelai scowled.

They found a table and it wasn't long before he came up them and recognised Lorelai and Zoe right away.

"Your just going to keep bringing more children in here with you, aren't you." He said now.

"I only have six more at home," Lorelai joked as Luke looked at her in disbelief. "I am kidding. I only have these two."

"We'll have two burgers." Rory broke the silence and he wrote down the order.

"Coming right up," Luke said as he walked away, and then turned around. "That baby cries-"

"And we're out, I know." Lorelai raised her hands.

"I like him." Rory smiled.

"Oh yeah, he is the dream man." Lorelai said under her breath.

 **A/N: Thank you for the reviews. As always, let me know what you think.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls or anything else.**

Lorelai didn't know exactly how it happened, but Zoe was now five and starting school. She remembered getting emotional when Rory started school but this felt different. She was almost thirty now and truly did not see a time in the near or distant future when she would even consider having another baby.

"Mum, were going to be late." Almost thirteen year old Rory called out.

"I want to take a picture of Zoe on her first day of school." Lorelai said coming down the stairs with a camera.

"Well can you make it quick," Rory asked now. "I don't want to be late."

"Yes, it will be quick," Lorelai rolled her eyes at her almost teenager as she got Zoe to stand for a photo. "Look how cute."

"Mum!" Zoe said now. "I want to go to school."

"Okay, were going," Lorelai muttered. "You know nothing will happen if your one minute late."

Rory walked with them to the school and said a quick goodbye to Zoe before rushing over to the middle school which was just across the street. Lorelai walked the five year old over to her classroom and helped her hang her bag up.

"Okay," Lorelai grabbed her shoulders as she crouched down. "You have a good day."

"Mummy?" Zoe looked at her with her big blue-green eyes. "I'm scared."

"You'll be fine, kid," Lorelai promised. "I'll be right here as the bell rings at the end of the day to pick you up."

"Okay." Zoe said as she walked into her classroom. Lorelai waved at her when Zoe turned her head to see if Lorelai was still there.

"I didn't think it would be this hard." Another mum standing near Lorelai commented.

"It gets easier," Lorelai smiled. "I have a twelve year old but I barely remember how awful it was leaving her the first time."

 _Rory had somehow convinced Lorelai to get to school an hour before it even began. They were sitting outside and Rory was walking around and looking at all the classrooms. Lorelai had never seen someone this excited so early in the morning._

 _"This place is awesome." Rory beamed._

 _"Oh yeah," Lorelai yawned. "It's great."_

 _More people started showing up and Rory wanted to go into her classroom right away. Lorelai had to grab her hand to stop her._

 _"Are you going to be okay?" Lorelai asked._

 _"I'll be fine," Rory reassured her. "I'm a big girl."_

 _Rory confidently walked into her classroom and barely even acnowledged Lorelai walking away. Lorelai got to her car and started crying at the fact that her baby was now in school._

Lorelai was there to pick Zoe up right after school and they went back to the inn. Zoe spent the entire drive talking about school and the kids that she had met. Rory had told Lorelai that she was going to the library after school and was doing homework in the kitchen when they got home.

"How was your day?" Lorelai asked.

"I have a lot of homework," Rory looked up. "Oh, and I got my period today."

"What's a period?" Zoe asked.

"It's something you'll get when you're a little older," Lorelai brushed away the answer. "Can you go upstairs and get ready for your bath."

"Okay." Zoe said as she walked up the stairs.

"Are you okay honey? Do you have-" Lorelai began as she sat down.

"I'm fine, I took a pad from your bathroom." Rory said now, concentrating on her homework again.

"Well I am getting pizza for dinner." Lorelai grabbed the phone.

"Mum, don't make a big deal of it." Rory said now.

"But it is a big deal, you aren't my little girl anymore. You are a grown woman." Lorelai mocked.

"Mum, you are disgusting," Rory rolled her eyes. "Can we get ice cream for dessert?"

"Anything you want sweetheart." Lorelai smiled.

Lorelai got up in the middle of night and walked past Zoe's bedroom. Her first day of school had exhausted her and she fell asleep the second her head hit the pillow. She walked downstairs and Rory was asleep too. Lorelai knew that her girls were going to grow up, that was a given, but she was about to have a teenager around the house and that terrified her more than anything else.

 **A/N: Thank you for the reviews. Starting from next chapter it kind of run parallel to the show so you'll meet all the characters soon enough.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls or anything else**

It was a usual weekday morning and Lorelai, Rory and Zoe were rushing out the door to get to school and work. Rory would normally walk Zoe on her way to school, though now it was her second last day at Stars Hollow High this would have to change.

"You two haven't left yet?" Lorelai asked.

"She is still getting ready." Rory said under her breath.

Rory had always been quiet and shy but Zoe, like her mother, was someone who found it much easier to make friends and fit in. And she loved clothes, which was a blessing and a curse at exactly the same time.

"Zoe, come on." Rory yelled at the bottom of the stairs.

Zoe came running down the stairs with her school bag. Lorelai came into the room and handed them a poptart each.

"I want to go to the library after school so I'll drop Zoe at ballet and then go." Rory said.

"Okay, thanks honey." Lorelai smiled.

"Bye." Zoe hugged Lorelai.

Lorelai was waiting at the diner and Rory came in, but didn't really seem herself. That was when they had a fight about the fact that she no longer wanted to go to the private school she had spent months trying to get into. The mother and daughter were arguing down the street and Lorelai stopped outside the dance studio.

"Hi Lorelai." Patty said as Lorelai turned to look at her.

"Hi," Lorelai smiled. "Zo, we have to go."

"I thought we were having dinner at Luke's?" The eight year old asked.

While she was getting her stuff Miss Patty had informed Lorelai of a boy that Rory was with and it took Lorelai all of three seconds to deduce why she suddenly didn't want to go to her new school. Lorelai raced off to catch up with the almost sixteen year old and Zoe was running behind them, almost out of breath when she got home and Rory slammed her bedroom door.

"Mum," Zoe said coming in. "I was calling your name the whole way home."

"Sorry babe." Lorelai said now.

Rory left for school the next day without waiting for Zoe to avoid Lorelai, so Lorelai ended up having to take her to school.

"Mum, why is Rory so mad at you?" Zoe asked on their quiet drive to the school.

"It's complicated, hon." Lorelai said as Zoe just looked out the window. She was eight but always felt like her mother and her sister treated her like a baby.

The girls got to the Gilmore house that night and Lorelai and Rory weren't talking to each other. It wasn't until Lorelai and Emily had it out in the kitchen that Rory and Zoe gave each other a knowing look. It wasn't until they got into Lorelai's car that the silent treatment was lifted.

"You went to grandma for school tuition?" Rory asked.

"Not one of my finest moves," Lorelai said under her breath. "But I had to do what I had to do."

They ended up at Luke's eating fries and Rory agreed to go to Chilton on Monday. Zoe was with Rory the next morning and they were walking to the bookstore.

"I kinda always knew you would get into Chilton." Zoe said as Rory turned to her.

"You did?" Rory asked.

"Well, you are the smartest one in the family." Zoe smiled.

"Your smart too, Zo." Rory said now as Zoe rolled her eyes.

"I'm not as smart as you," Zoe said confidently before listing the family members in order of intelligence. "Your crazy smart. It goes you and then grandpa and then mum or grandma and then -"

"But you can dance," Rory retaliated. "I, cannot. And you know all about clothes and fashion and I am grateful that I have to wear a school uniform. It's different kinds of smart."

"I guess," Zoe said now. "Different kinds of smart."

 **A/N: As usual, let me know what you think.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, seriously.**

When you lived in Stars Hollow, Christmas was always the best time of the year. There was a huge tree in the centre of town, they have a nativity scene and on Christmas eve the entire town gathers to watch. With everything that had happened in the last few weeks and Richard's episode in the hospital, the girls had been very excited for this.

Prior to moving to Stars Hollow, Christmas was always Lorelai's most dreaded time of the year. She'd have to deal with fights and arguments with Christopher and her parents and it always felt like an obligation, but she loved the traditions that she had started with the girls.

"Morning," Rory said as she entered the kitchen where Zoe was eating cereal. "We have cereal."

"In the cupboard." Zoe said pointing exactly to it.

Rory sat with Zoe and they were eating quietly until Lorelai entered the room and asked the exact same cereal question. Rory got a page from Dean saying that he couldn't come over because he had to mind his sister. They had planned to go and see the christmas movie playing at the theatre and would exchange presents.

"His sister is Clara, right?" Zoe asked.

"You know her?" Rory looked at her eight year old sister.

"She's in my grade at school," Zoe said now. "She's nice."

"He can bring Clara here and the girls can have a playdate," Lorelai chimed in. "I'll be here and you two lovebirds can go for a bit. Just make sure he clears it with his parents first."

"And you'd do that?" Rory asked Zoe now.

"Yeah," Zoe said excitedly. "It sounds like fun."

What Lorelai hadn't considered coming up with that perfect plan was that she had to chapernone two eight year olds around while she had to run to the inn to make sure everything would be okay over Christmas.

"We used to live here," Zoe said factually. "In the tool shed outside. I don't really remember it cause I was a baby, but we have photos. Mum, can I go and show her outside?"

"Just stay really close." Lorelai said as the two eight year olds ran off.

By the time Rory and Dean came back to the house, he had to run off with his sister and the girls all headed to the town square to see the nativity scene like they did every single year. The festivities would go until midnight and then everyone would wish each other a Merry Christmas.

"Merry Christmas!" The entire town cheered as it struck midnight.

Lorelai's tradition with the girls is that after midnight they would go home and then open presents and drink hot chocolate. The entire living room was covered in wrapping paper, Rory was fawning over her new and expensive books and Zoe the small sewing machine Lorelai had got her because she had become interested in making clothes.

"I love it." Zoe beamed.

"And I'll show you to how to use it tomorrow." Lorelai said as Zoe hugged her and they all went to bed.

Christmas day was generally sleeping in and then watching a christmas movie marathon ar home and then dinner at Sookie's, which she invited them to every single year.

"I think we should call grandma and grandpa." Rory said before they started the movie.

"Ugh, why?" Lorelai screwed up her face. "We've already done the christmas party."

"Grandpa was just in the hospital." Zoe said now, as Lorelai picked up the phone and had a brief, but exhausting conversation with her parents.

 **A/N: Let me know what you think, as per usual.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls or anything else**

Rory and Dean had recently broken up, so Lorelai and Zoe were almost walking on eggshells trying not to mention 'the D word.' It also didn't help that Rory had been in a mood since it happened, and they didn't know how long it would last. This had even become difficult for Zoe at school now that she and Clara had become awkward around each other because of Rory and Dean's break up.

"Okay, I need to know who you want at your birthday party." Lorelai looked at Zoe who would be turing nine in a matter of weeks.

"Just my friends from school." Zoe said as she listed off names.

"How about Clara?" Lorelai asked now.

"Oh," Zoe paused. "I mean, maybe. I don't know. We don't really talk much anymore."

"What happened?" Lorelai asked now.

"We just don't talk much." Zoe repeated gesturing towards Rory as Lorelai got what she meant.

"Just invite her," Rory muttered under her breath before getting up. "It shouldn't matter that Dean and I aren't together. She is still your friend and you shouldn't be awkward around her."

Rory's bedroom door closed and Lorelai and Zoe looked at each other in silence.

"How about grandma and grandpa?" Lorelai said now.

"They said I'll get a special dinner that Friday." Zoe said now, rolling her eyes at her mother.

Later that week, Zoe was giving out birthday invites and was clutching onto Clara's until they were grabbing their lunch.

"I wanted to invite you to my birthday but-" Zoe said, holding out the invite.

"My brother and your sister aren't together anymore." Clara finished her sentence as Rory nodded.

"It should be fun," Zoe tried to make it less awkward. "My mum is known her birthday blowouts. Last year at my eighth birthday the clown got arrested."

"No way." Clara said as a smile appeared on Zoe's face.

"It was pretty amazing," Zoe laughed. "Come if you want to. If you don't, I get it."

"No, I'll see if I can come." Clara smiled as Zoe sighed in relief.

"Do you want to have lunch together?" Rory asked as Clara nodded and they went to find a seat outside.

Zoe turned nine on a Tuesday, so her actual birthday was just dinner at Luke's where he made her a special cake and got to have any dinner she wanted, on the house. By the time they got home, they were all sugared out and Zoe was struggling to stay awake. Lorelai came into her bed not long after she went to sleep and was trying to wake her up.

"Zo," Lorelai said as Zoe was struggling to keep her eyes open. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Bedtime?" Zoe said quietly as she turned her head on her pillow to go to sleep.

"At exactly this time nine years ago, I was lying in this exact position-" Lorelai began.

"Is it not weird you do this every single year." Zoe said now.

"Shhh," Lorelai said gleefully. "It's a beautiful story."

"Debatable." Zoe closed her eyes.

They were at the Gilmore house for dinner a couple of days later, and her big birthday party was the next day. Rory and Dean had reunited, so Rory was a much happier person now. Emily had organised for Zoe's favourite dinner of mac and cheese to be made and there was a chocolate cake for dessert. After dinner, they were sitting in the lounge and Zoe was given a present.

"You didn't have to get me anything?" Zoe said as Emily handed her the gift bag with a wrapped present inside.

"It's your birthday, therefore you must get a present." Richard said as a smile appeared on Zoe's face.

"Rory gave us some ideas of what to get you." Emily said as Zoe looked at her sister while opening the gift.

"Oh my god," Zoe beamed. "It's the Harry Potter books. I borrowed the first one from the school library and now I have the first three."

"So you have to finish them and then give them to me to read." Rory said now.

"Look at that, you'll be reading all summer now." Lorelai quipped.

The next morning Sookie and Lorelai were already preparing for her birthday party. Zoe had requested the theme be her favourite movie _The Wizard of Oz,_ and they would watch the movie and Sookie said she'd make popcorn and snacks for everyone. When Zoe got downstairs, Lorelai had literally turned the house into Oz and had to admit she was impressed.

"Wow," Zoe smiled. "I don't think were in Kansas anymore."

"Well then my work is done." Lorelai said now.

Zoe ended up recounting this as one her favourite birthdays. All of her friends were there, Lorelai had outdone herself with the party planning and there was no more akwardness between her and Clara who had come with Dean, and he was keeping Rory company.

 **A/N: Thank you for your reviews, as usual let me know what you think.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls or anything else**

Lorelai had always promised the girls that when Rory graduated high school they would go to Europe. She figured by the time that happened it would give her enough money to save for an overseas trip. They had a very early flight and Lorelai was banging the door to the diner at 5am because he promised to open super early so they could get coffee and decent meal before their flight.

"LUUKKKKKE." Lorelai called out as both Rory and Zoe were shushing her.

"Seriously," Luke grumpily came to the door. "Could you not wake up the entire street."

"Coffee," Lorelai said as they came in with their backpacks, before they turned to Rory and Zoe who were pretty excited and reading a travel book together. "Maybe just for me."

"I want coffee." Rory called out as Luke poured the second cup.

Luke made them breakfast and they headed to the airport. Zoe was probably the most excited because this would be the first flight she had ever been on. But by the time they got to their first stop the excitement of air travel had disappeared and the jetlag was really setting in.

"I am tired, but not tired." Lorelai lay down.

"Same," Zoe said turning to her mother. "I think there was a board game in the cupboard."

"We need to sleep now so that we don't spent our first week jetlagged." Rory argued with her eyes closed.

"Yes mum." Lorelai and Zoe said at the same time.

They all eventually drifted off to sleep but were up ridiculously early the next morning, so they all got a early head start of their first day of travelling.

* * *

In the few weeks they saw so many countries, all which they loved everything about – the people, the food and the sights that they saw. They were now in Paris and walking down a cobble stone street and looking at all the stores.

"Do you think this place will have something for grandma?" Rory said as they looked in the window.

"She will hate anything we get her." Lorelai said now.

"But she said that Paris is her favourite place in Europe." Zoe said now.

"Look at these." Rory was eyeing off figurines of monuments in Paris.

"The Eiffel tower," Lorelai said as Rory picked it up. "That is the most classy one and a good gift."

"She won't hate it?" Rory asked now.

"Not if you give it to her." Lorelai quipped.

Rory and Zoe were hesitating until Lorelai promised them that Emily would love any gift they got her and she would especially love the Eiffel tower figurine, so they bought it.

"Off to the Louvre." Zoe said excitedly as they left the store.

"Off we go." Lorelai said as Rory took her map out to make sure they were walking in the right direction.

* * *

They had been away for eight weeks and it was their last day of their European adventure. They were out for breakfast in London and Rory confessed that she did kind of miss being home.

"You miss your books, right?" Zoe asked now.

"No," Before Lorelai and Zoe gave her a look. "Okay, maybe I do. What do you miss?"

"Um, my clothes and the burgers at Luke's." Zoe said now.

"Oh, his burgers," Lorelai interjected. "I do miss those."

"That's the first thing I'm eating when we get back." Zoe said matter-of-factly.

"Me too." Lorelai agreed.

"I miss stars hollow," Zoe said now. "Like all the people knowing who we are."

"Do you think they miss us?" Lorelai asked.

"I am sure they do," Rory said taking a sip of her coffee. "Especially Luke."

"Why _especially Luke_?" Lorelai asked now, almost doing a spit take.

"Because we basically pay for his diner to stay open," Zoe said quickly. "We are there every single day."

"Yeah." Rory looked at Zoe and was pretty impressed with her coming up with that so quickly.

Even Rory and Zoe knew that Lorelai liked Luke, but was too afraid to say anything and that he liked her back. But they didn't exactly want to talk about it and make it awkward, so it was best that they avoided the topic.

 **A/N: Let me know what you think as usual.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**

It was the night before Rory went off to college and she and Zoe had been hijacked in Emily's TV room until Lorelai had come to collect them. By the time they got back to Stars Hollow, they were ready to fall asleep.

"Okay, we need to go to bed because you have school tomorrow and you have to go to college." Lorelai said as they walked to their bedrooms.

"When was the last time we had a living room movie sleepover?" Rory asked.

"I'll bring the blankets down." Zoe said excitedly.

They got up the next day and everyone was rushing around. Zoe was running late for school and Lorelai was waiting for her.

"Zoe!" Lorelai commented. "School, now. I'll quickly drive you and then I will come back and get Rory and we'll drive to Yale."

"Okay." Rory called out.

Zoe came running down the stairs and pulled Rory into a hug.

"Bye." Rory smiled.

"Bye," Zoe hugged her. "Have fun at college. Learn heaps."

"I will," Rory responded. "This is ridiculous, I'll still see you on the weekends."

"I know." Zoe said now.

Lorelai drove Luke's truck to take Rory to college and came back the next morning, while Zoe stayed over at Sookie's place. She went to the middle school to collect Zoe after school to take her for an after school snack.

"I can't go," Zoe said to Lorelai. "I have to go to ballet."

"Oh okay," Lorelai said as they walked toward the dance school. "I'll pick you up after ballet and we'll go to Luke's."

"Okay," Zoe answered. "But I also have homework, so we can't be too long."

They went to Luke's and then got back to the empty house. Zoe was doing her homework and went downstairs to find Lorelai who was sitting on Rory's bed.

"Are you okay?" Zoe asked.

"I'm okay," Lorelai said now. "This room seems so weird without her in it."

"Well, she'll probably be in it on the weekend." Zoe offered.

"I know." Lorelai said quietly.

"Mum," Zoe sat next to her. "You still have me for another seven fun filled years. Were just a two girl household now."

"There will be less time waiting for the bathroom in the morning." Lorelai tried to lighten the mood.

"That is true." Zoe said now.

 **A/N: Thanks for the reviews, continue to let me know what you think.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls or anything else**

Since Lorelai and Rory had started their feud over Rory leaving Yale, Zoe had almost been put in the middle. She felt bad every time she would meet with Rory and Lorelai had been miserable around the house.

"Where where you?" Lorelai asked.

"No where." Zoe went to walk to her bedroom.

"No where?" Lorelai asked. "School ended hours ago and you didn't have ballet today."

"I was with a friend." Zoe said now.

"Which friend?" Lorelai asked.

"Does it matter?" Zoe snapped now.

"Yes it does matter where my thirteen year old is." Lorelai snapped back.

"I was with Rory," Zoe yelled. "I was with Rory and we had ice cream. I didn't want to tell you because you look like your about to cry."

"I'm not," Lorelai caught up to her. "I am not about to cry."

"I have homework to do, can I just have some quiet." Rory said now.

Lorelai had gone to work early the next day so Zoe who was thirteen, was left to go to school by herself. She was in the middle of answering emails when she got a phonecall from Zoe's school saying that she hadn't shown up. In an immediate panic, she rang Luke. Lorelai and Luke spent the entire day trying to find Zoe but no one in the town had seen her. Luke had rang Rory because Lorelai wasn't speaking to her and she hadn't see Zoe either, but was trying to find her.

"We will find her," Luke reassured Lorelai who was sitting in the diner now. "She will come home."

"I messed up," Lorelai said quietly. "I really messed up. Rory doesn't talk to me, Zoe ran away. I'm a bad mother."

"You are a great mother." Luke said now, pulling Lorelai into a hug.

Another half an hour had passed before Lorelai got a strange phonecall saying that someone had tried to use her credit card to check into a hotel in New York and was a teenager. It took her a moment to put two and two together before she realised it was probably Zoe.

"I think Zoe is at a hotel," Lorelai grabbed her car keys. "I will be back."

Lorelai drove to New York and got a phonecall from Rory as she was leaving so she answered her phone.

"Have you found her mum?" Rory asked in a concerned voice. Suddenly their months long feud didn't matter.

"I think so," Lorelai said focussing on the road. "In New York trying to use my card to book a hotel."

They ended their phonecall and Lorelai made it to the hotel to see Zoe sitting there at the reception desk with her dufflebag.

"Zoe," Lorelai pulled her into a hug. "I don't even want to start with you going into a stange city alone."

"I am sorry," Zoe started crying. "I messed up. I just, I miss Rory and I miss us all being together. I hate having to see her behind your back, I hate you being upset because of her."

"It's okay," Lorelai said now. "I want you to talk to me though, not run to New York. I almost had a heart attack."

"Zoe?" They turned and Rory ran into the lobby and hugged her thirteen year old sister.

"Why are you here?" Zoe asked now.

"Because I heard my sister ran away from home and got a bus to New York." Rory said now.

"I know I am probably grounded when we get home but maybe we can get dinner because were all together." Zoe said now.

"I could have dinner." Rory said first.

"Well then were going for dinner." Lorelai said now.

 **A/N: As usual, let me know what you think**


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